The sleepover changed something.
No one said it aloud, but the air between them all felt… warmer. More real.
At school the next week, the group fell into a rhythm. Study sessions, lunch meetups, random hallway chaos—it became their normal.
Even teachers started to notice.
"Looks like we've got a little community forming," one of them chuckled during homeroom.
---
After School
They gathered in an empty classroom, desks pushed into a circle.
"Midterms are creeping in," Sora groaned.
"We should start a study plan," Aiko suggested, already scribbling on the board like a military commander.
Naoto leaned back in his chair, eyes half-lidded. "We always talk about studying. Never actually study."
"I'll slap you with a textbook," Mei muttered.
Even Rika laughed. It surprised them all, including herself.
It was small things like this—moments she never expected to mean anything—that started to cling to her heart.
---
That Evening
Naoto walked home alone.
He wasn't far from his apartment when his phone buzzed again.
Unknown Caller.
He stepped aside, answered quickly.
A soft voice, familiar and distant: "You sounded happy today."
Naoto smiled. "They're… good people."
A pause.
"Do you ever forget?" she asked.
He didn't answer at first.
"No," he said quietly. "I never do."
"I'm glad."
Another pause.
"Can I see you soon?" she asked.
He looked up at the night sky, streetlight reflecting in his eyes.
"…Yeah. I'll find a way."
---
Elsewhere That Night
Back in her room, Rika was alone.
She stared at a group photo they'd taken that day—someone had forced them into a silly pose. Even Naoto was smiling in it, a genuine, peaceful smile.
She traced his face on the screen with her finger.
> "You're like a story I shouldn't read twice."
> "But I keep turning the page."
She shut off her phone and turned off the light.
But the warmth in her chest didn't go away.
And neither did the ache.
---